1. Field
The disclosed system and method relates to a network facsimile apparatus, and more particularly to a network facsimile apparatus which is capable of performing a memory saving operation.
2. Description of the Related Arts
There has been developed a network facsimile machine which is capable of communicating with both data terminals and facsimile machines. Such a network facsimile machine can exchange not only xe2x80x9ccomputer informationxe2x80x9d such as E-mail (electronic mail) with data terminals on computer networks, including LANs (local area networks), WANs (wide area networks), the Internet, and so forth, but also xe2x80x9cfacsimile informationxe2x80x9d with ordinary facsimile machines using a standard facsimile communications procedure via a telephone line network such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
It would be useful to provide an effective and efficient system for relaying information and, more particularly, to provide an effective and efficient information relay service which allows users to send E-mail, for example, from a data terminal to a facsimile machine, and/or facsimile information from a facsimile machine to a data terminal, via the network facsimile machine.
It would be useful to provide an electronic communications system that can employ a plurality of the above-mentioned network facsimile apparatuses and provides a multi-step relay operation in which image information is relayed from a relay request station (a network facsimile apparatus) to a destination data terminal via one or more relay stations (network facsimile apparatuses). This would make communications largely flexible in the above-mentioned electronic communications system.
In such a network facsimile apparatus having various functions, a relatively large-sized memory capacity is required. However, a problem is that a magnetic disk drive unit which is generally used for the facsimile machines is relatively expensive in comparison with one for personal computers. Therefore, it would also be useful to provide a network facsimile apparatus with an appropriate method for conserving its memory capacity.
The present application provides a data terminal apparatus that can be coupled to a local area network and a telephone network. In one embodiment, a data terminal apparatus includes a first communications mechanism, a second communications mechanism, a first controller, a memory, a printer and a second controller. The first communications mechanism exchanges electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on the local area network. The second communications mechanism exchanges image information with facsimile terminals on the telephone network. The memory stores the image information which is received from one of the facsimile terminals through the telephone network using the second communications mechanism. The printer reproduces the image information. The first controller generates electronic mail which includes the image information when the printer is in an inoperative condition, and sends the electronic mail to the mail server through the local area network using the first communications mechanism. Then, the first controller erases the image information from the memory. The second controller retrieves the electronic mail from the mail server when the printer recovers from the inoperative condition and instructs the printer to reproduce the image information included in the electronic mail.
The present application also provides another data terminal apparatus that is coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network. In one embodiment, another data terminal apparatus includes a first communications mechanism, a second communications mechanism, a memory, a first controller, and a second controller. The first communications mechanism exchanges electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on the local area network. The second communications mechanism exchanges image information with facsimile terminals on the telephone network. The memory stores arbitrary image information which is required to be sent at a designated time to at least one of the facsimile terminals through the telephone network using the second communications mechanism. The first controller generates electronic mail which includes the arbitrary image information stored in the memory, sends the electronic mail to the mail server through the local area network using the first communications mechanism, and erases the arbitrary image information from the memory. The second controller retrieves the electronic mail from the mail server when the designated time has passed, obtains the arbitrary image information included in the electronic mail, and sends the arbitrary image information to the at least one of the facsimile terminals.
The present application also provides another data terminal apparatus which is coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network. In one embodiment, another data terminal apparatus includes a first communications mechanism, a second communications mechanism, a memory, a first controller, and a second controller. The first communications mechanism exchanges electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on the local area network. The second communications mechanism exchanges image information with facsimile terminals on the telephone network. The memory stores arbitrary information. The first controller generates electronic mail which includes the arbitrary information stored in the memory, sends the electronic mail to the mail server through the local area network using the first communications mechanism, and erases the arbitrary information from the memory. The second controller retrieves the electronic mail from the mail server upon a request by an operator or by an operation being performed on the data terminal apparatus, obtains the arbitrary information included in the electronic mail, and provides the arbitrary information to the operator or the operation.
The arbitrary information may be a one-touch dial number, an abbreviated dial number, or image information.
The first controller may be capable of changing an electronic mail address when generating the electronic mail.
The present application also provides a memory saving method for a data terminal apparatus which is coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network. In one embodiment, a method includes the steps of receiving, storing, checking, generating, sending, erasing, checking, retrieving, and instructing. The receiving step receives image information from a facsimile terminal through the telephone network. The storing step stores the image information received from the facsimile terminal. The checking step checks whether a printer of the data terminal apparatus is in an operative condition. The generating step generates electronic mail which includes the image information when the printer is in an inoperative condition. The sending step sends the electronic mail to a mail server on the local area network. The erasing step erases the image information from the memory. The checking step checks whether the printer of the data terminal apparatus recovers from the inoperative condition. The retrieving step retrieves the electronic mail from the mail server when the printer recovers from the inoperative condition. The instructing step instructs the printer to reproduce the image information included in the electronic mail.
The present application also provides an electronic communications system. In one example, an electronic communications system includes a data terminal apparatus which is coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network. The data terminal apparatus includes a first communications mechanism, a second communications mechanism, a memory, a printer, a first controller, and a second controller. The first communications mechanism exchanges electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on the local area network. The second communications mechanism exchanges image information with facsimile terminals on the telephone network. The memory stores the image information which is received from one of the facsimile terminals through the telephone network using the second communications mechanism. The printer reproduces the image information. The first controller generates electronic mail which includes the image information when the printer is in an inoperative condition, sends the electronic mail to the mail server through the local area network using the first communications mechanism, and erases the image information from the memory. The second controller retrieves the electronic mail from the mail server when the printer recovers from the inoperative condition and instructs the printer to reproduce the image information included in the electronic mail.